Resilient wheel.



'1. e. AR CARO. RESILIENT WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED DEE- 5, 1914.

1,147,591 Patented July 20, 1915.

g SHEETS-SHEET I.

COLUMBIA FLANOGRAPH (20., WASHINGTON, D. c.

J. G. ARCARO.

RESILIENT WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED use. 5, 1914.

1,147,591 Patented July 20, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

M %1 his yawn 6 I Z COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0.,wAsHma'r0N, D. C.

JOSEPH Gr. ARGARO, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

RESILIENT WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 20, 1915.

Application filed December 5, 1914. Serial No. 875,639.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that LJosnrn residing at New York city, New York, and being a citizen of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Resilient heels, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and to use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the preferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications-thereof will occur to persons skilled in the art. I

In said drawings: Figure 1 is a composite view, showing on the left one-half of my im proved wheel in side elevation, and on the right the other half thereof, also in side elevation, but with the annular cover removed. Fig. 2 is also a composite view, showing on the left one-half of the wheel in plan and with sections of the tread omitted, and on the right a horizontal section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is anothercomposite view, on the left corresponding to the plan view at the same side in Fig. 2, but showing the annular cover withdrawn, and on the right being a section taken on line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a section takenon the arcuate line -il4: of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, and disclosing the internal construction of the outer annular tread frame, .the spring units being omitted. Fig. 5 isa section also taken on line H of Fig. 1, but looking toward the center of the wheel and disclosing the internal construction-of the inner annular rim frame, the spring units againbeing omitted. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of one of the spring units. Fig. 7 is a plan View thereof. Fig. 8 is an elevational view of the spring unit shown in Fig. 6, but viewed at right angles 7 to the latter figure. Fig. 9 is a fragmentary detail, showing the attachment of the dust guard to the molding ring; and Fig. 10 is a side elevation of one of the tread sections.

My present invention relates to resilient wheels, and has for an object the construction of a device of the class referred to, which shall possess all the desirable qualities but be immune from the well-known disad- G. AnoARo,

vantages of wheels provided with pneumatic tires. Y

It has become an almost universal practice among automobilists tocarry extra pneumatic tires, or shoes, becauseof the constant danger of puncturesand tears liable to ocour in the tires mounted'on the wheels of the vehicle. This method of discounting road trouble imposes upon the'automobile ownera considerable additional expense, and does not guarantee freedom from tire injury, but is simply the equivalent of a portable extrasupply, itself inherently as susceptible to destruction as the tires mounted on the wheels of the motor car carrying it.

The wheel herein disclosed has for a further object independence of fluid pressure for its resiliency, andit is not rendered ineliicient or ineffective by cuts, abrasions or punctures. It is therefore unnecessary to carry extra wheels, or the equivalent of extra tires, and the expense of doing so is eliminated, this being a feature earnestly sought by automobile users. All tires necessarily suffer from wear and tear, and in'the case of pneumatic tires it is frequently necessary to stop by the roadside to repair such a tire. tedious and sometimes difiicult operation thereupon results, the application of a patch,for the insertion ofa plug into the pneumatic tire=requiring time and patience, after which a further material delay is occasioned by await for the proper drying and settingof the cement commonly used in repairs of this kind.

Inthe present .wheel,the tread is the only part thereof subject to abrasion or laceration, and injury toit in no wise affects the resiliency of'the wheel or any of'the other partsthereof; I

It is a purpose of this invention to have the tread comprise virtually solid tread segments, each independently replaceable, it usually being a sufficient precaution to place. a few or even a single duplicate tread segment in the tool box for emergencies. Moreover, the construction of the wheel is such that a seriously damaged tread section may be quickly and expeditiously replaced in a minimum amount of time, and travel may be resumed without further delay. I

Another object is to initially arrange the annular rim frame concentrically Within the annular tread frame, and to connect both frames by elastic cushioning units, in such manner that said inner rim frame is capable of variable eccentric disposition in any direction with respect to the tread frame.

A chassis and body together with a carried load may therefore find a suitable cushioned support, and the wheels may accommodate themselves to the inequalities of the road without transmitting shocks and jolts to the motor-car body.

To further facilitate the eccentric action between the annular rim and tread frames, and in a manner to avoid straining the cushioning units, suitable means for permittinga swinging or rocking movement of the latter in more than one direction are provided.

It is also contemplated to cause the various cushioning units to have a cooperative relationship, but to give each structural independence from the others, and to allow each to be removably held in place, and capable of quick and easy withdrawal without disturbing the remainder.

Inspection and repairs are made ex tremely simple by the division of certain parts of the tread frame and of the rim frame, the parts of each frame being securely combined, however, under normal conditions.

Because of its form and metallic character, the wheel is well suited to artillery or other military vehicles, and a metallic tread may be used.

Other advantages becoming manifest hereinafter are, of course, to be regarded as coming within the scope of this invention.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates a vertically disposed annular base plate, preferably a steel pressing, and shown as having an arcute cross section, said plate forming one side of the annular tread frame. Spaced about the inner face of said annular base plate 1, in a circular path of less radius than the outer circumference of said base plate inner face, are supporting brackets 2. These brackets preferably each comprise a curved plate portion projecting inwardly from the annular base plate 1, parallel to the axis of the wheel, attachment lugs 3 riveted or otherwise secured to said annular base plate, and clamp lugs 1 struck from the curved plate portion and bent inwardly on radial lines.

Supporting brackets 2 are appropriately spaced from each other about the circular path they occupy, and the juxtaposed par allel edges of the curved plate portions of adjacent brackets are beveled.

Surrounding all of the brackets 2 and fitted to and supported thereby is an annular tread band 5, securely fastened to each of said brackets 2, as by rivets 6. Said tread band 5 forms a short horizontally disposed cylindrical ring, one edge of which may be fitted, as'shown, to the inner face of annular base plate 1, and the opposite edge notched to produce substantially circumferentially spaced teeth 7.

Tread band 5 is concentric with the outer circumference of the inner face of annular base plate 1, but is of less diameter than said outer circumference, and the external edge border of said tread band which is adjacent said inner face of base plate 1 forms with this face an annular and sub stantially angular tread-holding groove 8. Where said tread band 5 spans the spaces between the supporting brackets 2, it forms with the parallel beveled edges of the curved plate portions of adjacent supporting brackets dovetail grooves, hereinafter more fully referred to.

Fitted to the outer face of annular base plate 1, concentric with and lapping its inner circumferential border, is a pressed. sheet metal molding ring 9 secured to said annular base plate 1 by screws 10. The molding ring 9 is supplied with a pliable dust guard 11, to be later referred to more in detail.

The parts thus far described constitute one portion of the divisible annular tread frame. The complementary portion of said tread frame comprises an annular cover plate 12, which is also preferably a sheet steel pressing, supporting brackets 13, a tread band let, another molding ring 9 and dust guard 11.

Annular cover plate 12 is substantially a duplicate of the annular base plate 1 of other portion of the tread frame, but is reversely and opposingly positioned, and, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is countersunk at places located in a circular path on the outer face of the annular cover plate 12. The centers of the countersunk portions are a-lined with the centers of tapped holes in the clamp lugs 4 of brackets 2 of the other member of the annular tread frame, and bolts 15 pass through cover plate 12 and are threaded into said clamp lugs a, when the wheel is in its normal condition.

Within each countersunk hole is placed a lock-washer 16, as shown in Fig. 2, and the underside of the head of the associated bolt 15 is brought to bear thereagainst, the exposed surface of said head being given a curvature coincident with that of the outer face of cover plate 12. A smooth unbroken external surface is thereby preserved in said cover plate, but it is obvious that ordinary bolts with spherical segmental or other shaped heads may be used. By preference,

each bolt 15 is provided with a conical pilot 16 at the end of its shank to facilitate the entry of the threaded ends of said bolts into the tapped holes in clamp lugs 41-.

Tread band 11 and supporting brackets 13 of the cover portion of the annular tread frame are of the same form and dimensions as the corresponding parts of the other portion of said tread frame, except that they are materially narrower, and the curved plate portions of brackets 13 are not provided with clamp lugs 4:. Attachment lugs 17 of brackets 13 are similar to lugs 3 of brackets 2, and are riveted or otherwise secured to the annular cover plate 12, as said lugs 3 are attached to annular base plate 1. Also, dovetail grooves are formed as described in connection with the other portion of said tread frame, and are registered with said dovetail grooves in that portion by teeth 18 on the inner edge of-tread bandl, teeth 18 being adapted to enter the notches between teeth 7 of tread band 5. Moreover, teeth 7 of tread band 5 lap the contiguous edges of adjacent supporting brackets 2, and

\ the latter underlie the notches between said teeth 7, forming depressions in the periphery of this portion of the annular tread frame, thereby providing suitable reinforcement and support for the teeth 18 of the cover portion of said tread frame. The teeth and notches have beveled sides to allow an easy assembly of said divisible annular tread frame.

Between the outer face of tread band 14, adjacent the inner face of cover plate 12, and said inner cover plate face itself, is formed another tread-holding groove 8, and projecting into this groove and groove 8 adjacent the'annular base plate 1 are wedgeshaped portions of a series of tread segments' 19. Each tread segment comprises laminated rubber layers, reinforced by canvas binders, if desired, said laminations being bound together by a plurality of wires 19 passing through them and by nuts and washers 19 on the opposite ends of the wires to clamp said laminations tightly together. The tread is built up of said tread segments placed end to end, the final segment being crowded into place, puttlng all of said segments under endwise compression. When the cover portion of the annular tread frame is secured in place by bolts 15, the tread sections are firmly held in place, and form a tread having excellent traction qualities.

Concentric with and lapping the inner circumferential border of cover plate 12 is the other molding ring 9, previously referred to, which is secured to said cover plate by other screws 10.

Both molding rings 9 are preferably alike, and, as illustrated in Fig.9, each cornprises a sheet metal molding ring having its edges reinforced by heavy wires 20, the wire for the inner edge being semi-cylindrical. The sheet metal is caused to envelop these wires, in a well known manner, and to the semi-cylindrical wire 20 is secured the dust guard 11 by screws 21, the dust guardbelng in the form of a ring which may be of felt,

23, for example, of sheet metal. Spaced about the periphery of said annular band 23 are sheet metal or other pads 24 provided with outstanding attachment lugs 25. Said pads 24 may be, as shown, attached to the annular rim band 23 by rivets 26, and the parallel edges of adjacent pads are beveled to formwith said annular band 23 dovetail grooves between successive pads. The at tachment lugs 25 of pads 24: are on opposite sides thereof with their outer faces preferably in planes coincident with the opposite edges of annular band 23. On opposite sides of said band 23, and lapping the edges thereof and the outer faces of attachment lugs 25 of pads 24, and contacting with both, are vertically disposed rim attachment rings 27, secured by screws 28 to the pad attachment lugs 25. It is also apparentthat annular rim band 23 and rim attachment rings 27 form a felly-receiving groove or channel on the inner side of said rim frame. See Figs. 1, 2 and 5.

Each rim attachment ring 27 is provided with inwardly extending-ears 29 perforated for the passage of bolts. Either ring 27 but preferably the one on the side withthe removable cover portion of the annular tread frame, may be removed without disturbing the rim band 23 or the other attachment ring 27 to allow the insertion of the rim orfelly of the usual automobile or other wheel, (not shown). After the insertion'ofsuch wheel rim, the removed. rim ring 27 is replaced and bolts are passed through both rings 27 and the inserted rim or felly, which will usually be of wooden construction.

The dovetail grooves between the-pads 24 of the annular rim frame and between the brackets 2 and '13 of the annular tread frame are radially alined, and, with the cover portion of the annular tread frame removed, the cushioning units are slid into place be tween both the said annular frames.

Each cushioning unit, by choice, includes a hinge device having a member 30 forming a dovetail tongue adapted to be slid into one of the dovetail grooves between the brackets 2 and 13 of the annular tread frame. Said member 30has a series of alternate bars and slots adapted to interleave with somewhat similar bars and slots in a companion member 31, and both members are connected by a pivot pin 32. At its inner end, each cushioning unit is supplied with a dovetail plate 33 adapted to be slid into that dovetail groove between pads 24: of the annular rim frame which is radially alined with the dovetail groove in the annular tread frame which receives the hinge member 30 of the same cushioning unit. interposed between and secured to the companion hinge member 31 and the dovetail plate 33 of each cushioning unit, is a continuously reversely bent ribbon spring 3%. In the form illustrated the springs 3a are each reduced in width before they reach their dovetail plates 33 in order to insure proper clearance and to fit between the rim attachment rings 27. Each cushioning unit, therefore, comprises a hinge device, having a dovetail tongue member, a continuously rebent ribbon spring and a dovetail plate, the spring being secured to said hinge device and dovetail plate.

It is evident that l have devised a resilient wheel structure, particularly adapted to automobile use, and which comprises an outer annular tread-carrying tread frame and an inner annular rim-attachment frame, both frames being yieldingly connected. It is further obvious that the annular rim frame is thoroughly cushioned and may assume any position eccentric to the annular tread frame, and that in doing so the cushioning springs will swing about pivots, or be caused to rock, to facilitate the eccentric action and prevent undue strains being set up in the springs.

The construction is simple and conforms to good manufacturing practice, many of the parts being susceptible to being produced as pressings, though a large number of them may also be cast or otherwise formed.

Quick repairs are possible and so easily made that garage charges may be greatly reduced, if not entirely avoided, so far as the employment of the mechanics of such establishments to repair the wheels is concerned.

What I claim is 1. in a resilient wheel, an annular divisible tread frame comprising a base portion and a removable cover portion, a removable tread, a rim frame spaced from and surrounded by said tread frame, retaining means internally disposed on said tread base portion and on the periphery of said rim frame, and oscillatory normally radially disposed cushioning units interposed between said frames tending to centralize the rim frame within the tread frame and adapted to cooperate with said retaining means to connect said tread frame base portion and rim frame independently of said tread frame cover portion, the latter being adapted to be secured to said tread base portion to retain said cushioning units and said tread.

2. In a resilient wheel, an annular tread frame divisible about its periphery compristread frame portions and in the periphery of said rim frame, and independently removable oscillatory normally radial cushioning units interposed between said frames tending to maintain them concentric but permitting eccentric relation therebetween and adapted to cooperate with the retaining grooves on said tread base portion and rim frame to connect said base portion and rim frame independently of said tread cover portion, the latter being adapted to be secured to said base portion to retain said cushioning units and said tread, the grooves in said cover portion complementing those in said base portion when said tread frame portions are connected.

3. In a resilient wheel, annular divisible tread and rim frames, the former having removable cover and base portions and the latter a removable side, said rim frame being encircled and spaced from said tread frame,

annularly spaced radially alined retaining grooves internally disposed in the latter and about the periphery of the former, removable cushioning units connecting both frames and having terminals adapted to be slid into alined and opposed grooves in said frames, said tread frame base and cover portions and a rim frame portion and said removable side-of said rim frame being juxtaposed to opposite ends of the cushioning unit terminals, and a tread carried by and between said tread frame portions.

43.111 a resilient wheel, tread and rim frames the latter encircled by the former, independently removable cushioning units interposed between and connecting said frames and having centers of rotation in juxtaposition to one of said frames, said tread frame being separable within its periphery, alined and annularly spaced retaining grooves in both tread frame portions, and annularly spaced retaining grooves in said rim frame radially alined with said tread frame grooves, each cushioning unit having at one end a connection device comprising L connected rockable members one member be mg adapted to slide into grooves in one frame and at the other end a slidable connection device adapted to slide into the grooves in the other frame, one connection ing divisible within its periphery to comprise base and removable cover portions, a base plate in the former and a cover plate in the latter, both said base and cover plates having attached thereto a plurality of annularly spaced supporting brackets those of the cover plate being alined with those of the base plate, clamp lugs projecting inwardly from said base plate brackets, tread bands respectively encircling and connected to said base plate and cover plate brackets and each having teeth adapted to interlock with those of the other band, said tread bands forming with the base and cover plates tread-retaining grooves and with edges of said supporting brackets retaining grooves for cushioning devices, radially alined cooperating cushioning device retaining grooves in said rim frame, laterally removable oscillatory cushioning devices interposed between said frames and retained in the last two mentioned sets of grooves connecting both frames, a sectional tread adapted to be retained in said tread grooves, and means for locking said cover portion of the tread frame to said clamp lugs.

6. In a resilient wheel, the combination of annular tread and rim frames the latter encircled by the former, said tread frame having annular spaced internal retaining grooves, and said rim frame comprising an annular rim band, members provided with ring attachment portions annularly spaced about the periphery of said rim band, connected thereto, and forming retaining grooves radially alined with the grooves in said tread frame, and removable rings secured to the attachment portions of said groove-forming members, said rings and rim band forming a felly-receiving groove, attachment means on said rings for a felly, a plurality of spring cushioning devices adapted to be interposed between and to connect said tread and rim frames by insertion into said retaining grooves and a tread carried by said tread frame.

7 In a resilient wheel, annular tread and rim frames the latter encircled by the former, annularly spaced internal retaininggrooves in the tread frame and annularly spaced retaining-grooves on the periphery of said rim frame radially alined with the first mentioned grooves, and a plurality of oscillatory normally radially disposed cushioning units adapted to be interposed be- Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the of relative movement.

tween said frames by lateral insertion into said retaining grooves, each cushioning unit comprising a pair of hinge blocks united by a pivot pin, one block having groovefitting tongues, a successively reversely bent ribbon spring secured to one hinge block and a tongued member secured to said spring. I

8. In a resilient wheel, annular tread and rim frames the latter encircled by the former, molding rings on opposite sides of said tread frame connected therewith and lapping said rim frame,each molding ring comprising an annular sheet metal molding band enveloping and holding along its edges reinforcing rings, an annular dust guard paralleling one reinforcing ring of each molding ring and bearing against the rim frame, means attaching each dust guard to its juxtaposed reinforcing ring and dust guard-preserving means interposed between said guards and their said attaching means, said tread and rim frames being capable 9. In a resilient wheel, an annular tread frame divisible within its periphery and a rim frame the latter encircled by the former, annularly spaced internal retaining grooves on both tread frame portions, those on one portion being alined with those on the other, annularly spaced retaining grooves on said rim frame radially alined with those in the tread frame portions, and

slidable independently removable cushioning units adapted to engage the alined grooves of both frames to maintain one or both tread frame portions connected with said rim frame.

10. In a resilient wheel, a divisible tread frame, a rim frame encircled thereby, retaining means internally disposed on the divisible portions of said tread frame and on said rim frame, and removable cushioning units adapted by slidable interlocking engagement with the retaining means of both frames to connect one or both tread frameportions to said rim frame.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH e. AROARO.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

